Freed to Catch Something

by a wandering wonderer

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A day in Zeeland

I've been wanting to visit the Netherlands for some time. On Saturday August 17, I set off for Zeeland, a maritime province in the south-west of the country. I rented a car in France, crossed part of Belgium, passed under the Scheldt river before arriving in Middelburg, the capital. I took a tour of Vlissingen and then discovered the Dutch beaches. I'll show you everything in pictures...

   

The journey to Middelburg is quite pleasant. It only takes me 1h45 to get there, so it's not that long. I pass through Gent and then round Terneuzen before sinking into the 6.6 km tunnel under the Scheldt river. Before that, the passage from Belgium to the Netherlands made me smile and feel good, I don't know why, it always does that little thing to me when I'm in a foreign country. And here, the transition between the two countries is quite obvious, at least to me, because I can still remember it. As soon as I passed the Nederland sign, I found myself on a road with large expanses of green fields on either side. It may seem insignificant, but these are not the same green fields as in France. The weather's fine, and I'm already enjoying my day.

 

Arriving in Middelburg, I find a parking space in a shopping center parking lot. I get out, take the escalator to the entrance of the small shopping center facing the entrance to the town. I rush outside and I'm already amazed by all the bikes parked along this little river !

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I stroll through the narrow streets, then reach the square with its magnificent town hall…

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I then retrace my steps to walk along this small stream. It's quiet...

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I sit on a bench with a view of the mill, take time to observe, then return to the car to take the road towards Vlissingen, the seaside resort... I find a parking lot close to the water's edge, it's crowded but doesn't seem overcrowded. I have trouble getting the ticket, as everything is in Dutch, of course. But after several tries, I have the ticket in my hand, which I leave in the car. I'm now free to go for a walk, because yes, that too can be a source of stress... 

 

I come across this statue of a nautical school student. The photo is a little over-exposed, but I like it! 

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A little problem with the exposure of the photos, apparently. But... it's not too shocking, it's very clear and cheerful...

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The commercial ships are quite close to the shore... It's impressive!

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I arrive in the center of Vlissingen, it's so beautiful!!

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I really like the fronts of the houses, the Dutch style... a small selection...

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I know it's the same photo... The red with the green plants behind the window, it's magnificent.

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As I strolled along, I saw these two windows, eager to cultivate themselves as much as possible to protect themselves from the outside world...

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Back to the little port...

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I retrace my steps to get back in the car and head for the beach between Zoutelangue and Vlissingen. I take small country roads. There are vacation homes with long avenues of trees and fields, it's so beautiful. I can see the big dune in the distance. I arrive at a parking lot close to a campsite. My last exit takes me down a forest track, past a small restaurant, then turns right onto a small concrete path leading to large staircases. I climb and climb and find myself at the top of the dune with a magnificent view of the beach below. I'd never seen such a place...

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A lovely Saturday in the Netherlands. I really liked the atmosphere, the style of the towns and villages. Very relaxing. I'd go back...